The Coastal Design Balance in Annapolis

Coastal Design Balance in Annapolis

I haven't blogged in a while. We have, luckily, been very busy with our design projects.

But, when Megan, SeDell and Leeann put together this beautiful vignette in the store, I was inspired to take to the internet and dissect and interpret their creative results with our new furniture arrivals. Three great designers, in their own right, they worked so well together as they brainstormed, arranged and set up the perfect example of what we all strive for in our own homes, " Balance".

I love the "Easy Breezy" , relaxed look of this compilation. It has a "Coastal Flair" without the port holes and anchors! The vignette has the calming color scheme of gray, cream and navy, which is a very soothing palette. It has mixed media, worn driftwood finish, nubby  textured pillows, natural wood, metal finishes, geometric patterned rug, pottery and ceramic textured surfaces, and whimsical art of pesky sea gulls to tie it all together. By mixing all of these elements, the texture against the smooth, the light against the dark, and the hard against the soft, one has the "Balance" that I have been talking about. It has the effortless look, as if it had been put together over a period of time, not just one day. It looks like it evolved with favorite touches of pottery, lamps and accessory pieces that have been purchased over the years and moved about from room to room.

Instant gratification seems to be the desire of a lot of people lately, however, we don't want our inner sanctums to look as if it was just dumped off a furniture store truck. That type of interior design is only ever published in the newspaper sales flyers not Architectural Digest.

I want to commend the trio for their natural abilities and talents.  I stood in front of this display in our store for quite a bit of time when I first saw it.  I was just taking it all in. The vignette looks as if it could be the start of a family room by adding a creamy colored sectional to the grouping or even a guest bedroom by adding a queen size bed to the mix. I hope the three have inspired you to pay a visit to our store. We love our jobs and really appreciate our audience and clients.

Please follow along with our blogs, as we create one space at a

 time, looking for the perfect Coastal Balance to our lives. 

We are all so  lucky to live on the Chesapeake Bay!

Well done, ladies!

Gina Fitzsimmons, ASID

Annapolis Designer does Baltimore Show House Library!



The Baltimore Show House this year at Oak Acres
was a huge success! The rooms from top to bottom
were really well done and brought the house back to it's Former Glory!

The House had loads of Charm and Detail! Talking with the Public was so enjoyable. Year after Year we see a lot of the same Supporters. After awhile, you start to recognize each other!

Take a look at the Photos below and enjoy the tour!

Gina

 

 

 I was speaking with the owner of the property and she said that she didn't think that she would be able to part with the house because of the flood of memories every time she enters the house. She said, " Men have Man Caves, Why can't women have a Woman House?" Now there is a concept!

 I know exactly what she means, I would love to buy my Grandparents house in Massachusetts and totally refurbish it to a 60's look. Just being in the space feels almost like connecting to the past and it fills you with a special bond to your departed loved ones.

 

Well, on to the finished Library! The fireplace use to be painted the exact same grayish green shade as the walls and moldings. Below I have loaded the before and after shots of the fireplace wall. The architectural detail, to the 100 year old mantle just popped, when we lightened up the mantle and painted it like the contrasting trim of the room

 

Just look at the Before Shot above and the After Shot below!

 

 

Look at the beautiful detail in the Mantle!

 

Upon entering the room we had a Library Table set up with two very comfortable Chairs. With this age of laptops and Ipads it really isn't necessary to have a full blown desk anymore.

 

We have injected a contemporary cocktail table with great lines to complete our Style of Traditional.

Keep it fresh! Keep it current! Keep it relevant!

 

 To "Beef Up the existing Crown molding we added a Panel Molding on the Ceiling and painted the outside of the panel a bit deeper shade of paint to add dimension and give the effect of a tray ceiling to the room.

We did a small Bar just inside the doorway from the Dining Room. The Library is a perfect place for an After Dinner Drink in front of the fire when you have company for Dinner!

 

Our Upholstered Cornices got a lot of attention! We upholstered the crown molding at the top of the Cornice as well! A great idea shared with the public! 

 

We brought all of the Accents, Artwork and Accessories from our Retail Store, Details of Design in Annapolis. If you need a few pieces and can not make it to the store, please look online at

 Detailsof Design.biz

 

What a great experience the whole project was! The Designers all pitched together with the Symphony Members and manned the rooms, while buses and buses full of people arrived one after the other to view all of our hard work.

 

Gina Fitzsimmons, ASID

 

 

Add The FAB! Interior Design, Annapolis

                   Add The FAB!
The Holidays have come and gone. You have probably taken down your tree by now. If you haven't...Today is the day! Get with the program! I am trying to paint this picture of how drab it looks after taking down the holiday decorations and if you still have them up, this is not going to work.

So, let's continue. There you are, trapped in your home. It's freezing outside, too cold to venture out. You are looking at the empty dark corners of the room and you desperately need a pick me up. You need a fix from "Details"! Come on over, we will cheer you up! Take a few pictures of your problem areas and come and brainstorm with one of our Designers on Duty.


Our Display Vignette this month is based on pieces that you can "fill in" those empty corners of your rooms.  You know, where the tree was!



 I love these little Retro chairs, They will fit almost anywhere! The wood pattern in the back of the chair really adds to their charm.
They come with a toss pillow in beige duck with teal welting.
 Retail Price $1118.00
Details Of Design Pricing $895.00 each




This Nesting Table Set can be a big space
saver! The table underneath can be pulled out
and used anywhere in the room.
Retail Price $550.00
Details of Design Pricing $440.00 set

Chenille Textured Rug is cozy underfoot!
Here is a neutral rug that hides soil, looks great and feels even better!
In our vignette it is in a 4x6 size and runs $473.00 but, it is available in 
a Variety of sizes, even custom sizing!

Add some pictures of your loved ones!
This will make your home more cozy and fill in your voids, in more than one way!
Bring in your Photos and check out all of the unique frames in stock.

In the winter when things are looking glum, make sure that you have proper lighting. It can improve your mood and it will be a whole lot easier to curl up and read a book if you can see better!
We just received over 75 new lamps. Come and check them out!

 

 

So, I hope one or all of these ideas work well for you. Add the Fab to your space by using bold artwork, adding a cozy rug if you are more tactile, filling in your empty corners by adding functional pieces, like extra seating or a set of nesting tables or just surround yourself with photos of those that you love.

 

Keep warm, inside and out!

Gina

 

 

 

 

Interior Designer Selects Driftwood in Annapolis

It's new, it's hot, it's what's happening!
The casual finishes that are distressed and carefree like the Driftwood finish, pictured here in our Vignette this month, are gaining in popularity. Whether it be an upholstery company or casegoods manufacturer the new finish is Driftwood.

There are not many people that want to be a slave to protecting every surface anytime they have visitors. The distressed finishes already have the patina of a lifetime of living, so, what's a few more dings?

In our area the driftwood finish fits in with our  Comfortable Chesapeake Cozy way of life. The ambiance that it adds to a room encourages putting your feet up and relaxing.

See the close up on your right------
The arm of the chair has one of the new finishes as well as the skinny depth console in the background!

The mixing of different finishes is effortless! As you can see in this photo the light bleached finish on the frame of the handmade paper art works well in this eclectic grouping.

Driftwood can be a color as well as a finish. This rug is very attractive with it's steel

 blue and driftwood colored bamboo leaves.

Please continue to follow our blogs on our website:
www.fitzsimmonsdesign.com and on
detailsofdesign.biz or you can subscribe by clicking on the box in the side column at the top right of this page and filling in your email address. If you fill it out the new posts will go directly to you when we get new merchandise in our store! Easy Peasey!